Sunday, 25 June 2017

Last month I told you about the sculpture park situated in the grounds below the Abbaye de Cerisy and how it came to be.

Earlier this month we went back again to see if there were any new works in progress, although there weren't any sculptors working with stone and marble I did notice what appeared to be two recently created sculptures which hadn't been there on our previous visit.

This year the organisers of the event have extended the invitation to artists who's metier is working with metal. On land adjacent to the park workshops have been set up and I was able to get some photographs of the artists at work.

In one of the workshops I saw that a stone sculpture from 2010 was being worked upon. What do you think, do the little toy cars add or detract from the original piece? I have to admit to being baffled, myself.

On the opposite side of the road from the sculpture park is a beautiful lake which attracts locals, tourists and those who like to fish.

So serene and tranquil, the sculptures dotted around the lake add another level of interest.
I can see that this is going to become one of our favourites places to visit this summer.

Sunday, 18 June 2017

Whenever the Senior Partner and I go on vacation we leave M'selle Fleur in the very capable hands of a lovely couple of ex pat Brits, Mr & Mrs Price.
They used to operate a pet sitting enterprise "Priceless Pets" but since retiring just look after one or two, luckily Fleur is one of them.
Whenever their car pulls up in front of the house it's as if we no longer exist as Fleur has eyes only for them.
Should I be upset that she abandons us so easily? Not a bit because we know that she will be well taken care of in our home whilst we're away.
Last weekend we went to an open garden event, a fund raiser for the Volunteers of Passerelles a refuge for cats and dogs, which June (Mrs Price) is involved with.
The event hosts were another British couple who have, like us, chosen to make France their forever home.
As we walked up to the house it was like walking back in time to an England that we left over 30 years ago.

The owners garden was lovely, with hidden corners, many plant species and a small orchard.

By the time we arrived June's plants had practically sold out (at those prices I'm not surprised.
The refreshment table was down to the last few slices of quiche, the cupcakes were almost all gone but there were still some little sponge cakes and cups of tea to be purchased.

The Morris dancers put on a wonderful show and everywhere you looked there were people getting to know each other and admiring their four legged companions.

M'selle Fleur was so well behaved and sat quietly observing the scene. A couple went by with a black and white spaniel which they had adopted from the refuge and immediately Fleur was keen to meet him.

Did she think it was Ben my lovely cocker spaniel who shared our lives so wonderfully for 12 years? I'm not sure but the resemblance was uncanny. Such a shame I didn't manage to get a photograph!

The SP, June (facing away from the camera) and another of her clients

in earnest discussion about a robot lawn mower!

It was a lovely afternoon chatting with fellow Brits, browsing the various stalls, winning a prize at the tombola stand and smiling at the antics of the Morris men.

On the way out the SP stopped to admire a classic car which was parked at the side of a footpath.

Sunday, 11 June 2017

Since the end of May and going through until the end of July towns and villages throughout Normandy have been Commemorating the 73rd anniversary of the D Day landings.
Here is a link to the program of events list on the D Day Overlord website, it is very extensive.
The first event listed was an afternoon concert of the Choir of the French Army at the Cathedral of Bayeux.
Some of the over 150 events taking place during June and July include historical walking tours; guided tours of the beaches; reenactments; parades of military vehicles; picnics; fireworks and bagpipers.
On Saturday morning the 10th of June as I was driving through Cerisy I saw a small ceremony taking place at the Memorial for the 2nd Infantry Division on the "Avenue de la 2ème Division Indian Head, Cerisy-la-Fôret.This memorial commemorates the American 2nd Infantry Division which liberated Cerisy-la-Fôret on 10 June 1944. The command post of the division was also in this village, from 15 to 29 June 1944".
So I stopped to pay my respects.

Also attending the ceremony was a British veteran of the D Day landings Mr Edwin Jeffery aged 94, his daughter who lives in the village, introduced us after the ceremony was over.

She very kindly took photographs of us together and also with two other gentlemen, decorated British veterans of later conflicts.

Click here to meet Edwin Jeffery a hero who was awarded the Legion d'Honneur in 2014 for the part he played in liberating France in 1944, serving as a 21 year old seaman on Royal Navy HMS Vanquisher on D Day,.

Sunday, 4 June 2017

Our recent visit to Agreco Farm in Rythymno, a privately owned replica of a 17th century estate, was a marvellous experience.
On Sundays in May they offer guided tours of the farm followed by a gargantuan feast of Cretan dishes served alfresco on the taverna's beautiful shaded terrace.

As far as the eye can see there are olive trees; fruit trees and vegetables being cultivated.

A delightful hotchpotch of buildings house items of age-old traditional farm equipment, there's an olive press; flour mill; raki distillery; bee hives; wine press and close by a very large vat where they tread the grapes!

There's also a small zoo you can visit, home to sheep; hens; peacocks; kri kri (Cretan goats) and a donkey.

Surrounding the small village square are an artists studio; the Farm shop; the open air taverna and the Chapel of St Nicolas Kourtalious.

In the square you can watch, and even take part in, demonstrations of traditional cooking methods, cheese making and sheep shearing.

This lady is demonstrating how to make feta cheese, the men in the background are shearing a sheep!
Once the demonstrations were over we sat and rested in the cool shade of the terrace and enjoyed a long (2 hour) leisurely lunch whilst admiring the beautiful scenery, chatting to other diners and discussing the wonderful authentic Cretan food which just kept on coming.
I hope you enjoyed the visit to Agreco Farm.......
........oh! almost forgot to show you the amazing food served during the 9 course lunch, this was just for two people!
In the first mosaic from top left: savoury cheese pies; omelette; stuffed vine leaves, tomatoes, aubergines, courgettes and green peppers; feta cheese sprinkled with oregano; slow roasted lamb with artichokes; a dish of feta, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and hard boiled eggs; a bowl of fresh fruit.

In the mosaic below a dessert of Cretan rice prepared by the Agreco chef who also demonstrated how to make Cretan sweet cheese pies.

About Me

Home is a 16th/18th century former Presbytery situated in a tiny village, surrounded by beautiful Normandy countryside.
I share it with my lovely husband and best friend of over 37 years, and M'selle Fleur our gorgeous German Shepherd.